March 15, 2025
Israel: More and More Immoral
Judges 19-21
Brent Buemi
Big Book Idea
The people do what's right in their own eyes . . . and it doesn't go well.
Key Verse | Judges 21:25
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Judges 19-21
Chapter 19
A Levite and His Concubine
1 In those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. 2 And his concubine was unfaithful to 1 19:2 Septuagint, Old Latin became angry with him, and she went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there some four months. 3 Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly to her and bring her back. He had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into her father's house. And when the girl's father saw him, he came with joy to meet him. 4 And his father-in-law, the girl's father, made him stay, and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and spent the night there. 5 And on the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to go, but the girl's father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go.” 6 So the two of them sat and ate and drank together. And the girl's father said to the man, “Be pleased to spend the night, and let your heart be merry.” 7 And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him, till he spent the night there again. 8 And on the fifth day he arose early in the morning to depart. And the girl's father said, “Strengthen your heart and wait until the day declines.” So they ate, both of them. 9 And when the man and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart, his father-in-law, the girl's father, said to him, “Behold, now the day has waned toward evening. Please, spend the night. Behold, the day draws to its close. Lodge here and let your heart be merry, and tomorrow you shall arise early in the morning for your journey, and go home.”
10 But the man would not spend the night. He rose up and departed and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him a couple of saddled donkeys, and his concubine was with him. 11 When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, “Come now, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.” 12 And his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners, who do not belong to the people of Israel, but we will pass on to Gibeah.” 13 And he said to his young man, “Come and let us draw near to one of these places and spend the night at Gibeah or at Ramah.” 14 So they passed on and went their way. And the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin, 15 and they turned aside there, to go in and spend the night at Gibeah. And he went in and sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.
16 And behold, an old man was coming from his work in the field at evening. The man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was sojourning in Gibeah. The men of the place were Benjaminites. 17 And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city. And the old man said, “Where are you going? And where do you come from?” 18 And he said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, from which I come. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of the LORD, 2 19:18 Septuagint my home; compare verse 29 but no one has taken me into his house. 19 We have straw and feed for our donkeys, with bread and wine for me and your female servant and the young man with your servants. There is no lack of anything.” 20 And the old man said, “Peace be to you; I will care for all your wants. Only, do not spend the night in the square.” 21 So he brought him into his house and gave the donkeys feed. And they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
Gibeah's Crime
22 As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, surrounded the house, beating on the door. And they said to the old man, the master of the house, “Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him.” 23 And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not do this vile thing. 24 Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine. Let me bring them out now. Violate them and do with them what seems good to you, but against this man do not do this outrageous thing.” 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and made her go out to them. And they knew her and abused her all night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go. 26 And as morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was, until it was light.
27 And her master rose up in the morning, and when he opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, behold, there was his concubine lying at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up, let us be going.” But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey, and the man rose up and went away to his home. 29 And when he entered his house, he took a knife, and taking hold of his concubine he divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. 30 And all who saw it said, “Such a thing has never happened or been seen from the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day; consider it, take counsel, and speak.”
Chapter 20
Israel's War with the Tribe of Benjamin
1 Then all the people of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled as one man to the LORD at Mizpah. 2 And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 men on foot that drew the sword. 3 (Now the people of Benjamin heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the people of Israel said, “Tell us, how did this evil happen?” 4 And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, “I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. 5 And the leaders of Gibeah rose against me and surrounded the house against me by night. They meant to kill me, and they violated my concubine, and she is dead. 6 So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel. 7 Behold, you people of Israel, all of you, give your advice and counsel here.”
8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, “None of us will go to his tent, and none of us will return to his house. 9 But now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot, 10 and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions for the people, that when they come they may repay Gibeah of Benjamin for all the outrage that they have committed in Israel.” 11 So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man.
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you? 13 Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel.” But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel. 14 Then the people of Benjamin came together out of the cities to Gibeah to go out to battle against the people of Israel. 15 And the people of Benjamin mustered out of their cities on that day 26,000 men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men. 16 Among all these were 700 chosen men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. 17 And the men of Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered 400,000 men who drew the sword; all these were men of war.
18 The people of Israel arose and went up to Bethel and inquired of God, “Who shall go up first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?” And the LORD said, “Judah shall go up first.”
19 Then the people of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin, and the men of Israel drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah. 21 The people of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed on that day 22,000 men of the Israelites. 22 But the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day. 23 And the people of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until the evening. And they inquired of the LORD, “Shall we again draw near to fight against our brothers, the people of Benjamin?” And the LORD said, “Go up against them.”
24 So the people of Israel came near against the people of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin went against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed 18,000 men of the people of Israel. All these were men who drew the sword. 26 Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 27 And the people of Israel inquired of the LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, 28 and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, “Shall we go out once more to battle against our brothers, the people of Benjamin, or shall we cease?” And the LORD said, “Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”
29 So Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah. 30 And the people of Israel went up against the people of Benjamin on the third day and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 31 And the people of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city. And as at other times they began to strike and kill some of the people in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country, about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the people of Benjamin said, “They are routed before us, as at the first.” But the people of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.” 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar, and the men of Israel who were in ambush rushed out of their place from Maareh-geba. 3 20:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts place west of Geba 34 And there came against Gibeah 10,000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was hard, but the Benjaminites did not know that disaster was close upon them. 35 And the LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel, and the people of Israel destroyed 25,100 men of Benjamin that day. All these were men who drew the sword. 36 So the people of Benjamin saw that they were defeated.
The men of Israel gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah. 37 Then the men in ambush hurried and rushed against Gibeah; the men in ambush moved out and struck all the city with the edge of the sword. 38 Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in the main ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city 39 the men of Israel should turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel. They said, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.” 40 But when the signal began to rise out of the city in a column of smoke, the Benjaminites looked behind them, and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to heaven. 41 Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them. 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them. And those who came out of the cities were destroying them in their midst. 43 Surrounding the Benjaminites, they pursued them and trod them down from Nohah 4 20:43 Septuagint; Hebrew [at their] resting place as far as opposite Gibeah on the east. 44 Eighteen thousand men of Benjamin fell, all of them men of valor. 45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. Five thousand men of them were cut down in the highways. And they were pursued hard to Gidom, and 2,000 men of them were struck down. 46 So all who fell that day of Benjamin were 25,000 men who drew the sword, all of them men of valor. 47 But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. 48 And the men of Israel turned back against the people of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, the city, men and beasts and all that they found. And all the towns that they found they set on fire.
Chapter 21
Wives Provided for the Tribe of Benjamin
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn at Mizpah, “No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.” 2 And the people came to Bethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. 3 And they said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?” 4 And the next day the people rose early and built there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5 And the people of Israel said, “Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the LORD?” For they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, “He shall surely be put to death.” 6 And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, “One tribe is cut off from Israel this day. 7 What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them any of our daughters for wives?”
8 And they said, “What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah?” And behold, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh-gilead, to the assembly. 9 For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. 10 So the congregation sent 12,000 of their bravest men there and commanded them, “Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword; also the women and the little ones. 11 This is what you shall do: every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall devote to destruction.” 12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Then the whole congregation sent word to the people of Benjamin who were at the rock of Rimmon and proclaimed peace to them. 14 And Benjamin returned at that time. And they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, but they were not enough for them. 15 And the people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16 Then the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?” 17 And they said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel. 18 Yet we cannot give them wives from our daughters.” For the people of Israel had sworn, “Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin.” 19 So they said, “Behold, there is the yearly feast of the LORD at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.” 20 And they commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, “Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards 21 and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and snatch each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 22 And when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we did not take for each man of them his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.’” 23 And the people of Benjamin did so and took their wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they carried off. Then they went and returned to their inheritance and rebuilt the towns and lived in them. 24 And the people of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Judges
Timeline
Author and Date
Nowhere in Scripture is an author of this book named. The events in Judges took place in the period between Joshua’s death and the rise of Samuel and Saul. Most of the book was likely written by David’s time (1010–970 B.C.).
Theme
The theme of Judges is the downward spiral of Israel’s national and spiritual life into chaos and rebellion against God, showing the need for a godly king (17:6; 21:25).
Purpose and Pattern
The book of Judges was written to show the consequences of religious unfaithfulness and to point the way to a king who, if righteous, would lead the people to God. In the book of Joshua, the people of Israel seemed to want to follow the Lord and obey his commands. The book of Judges reveals, however, that the people had been rebelling even in Joshua’s time. This disobedience continued and grew more serious throughout the period of the judges. As summarized in Judges 2:16–23, time and again Israel turned its back on God and embraced the gods and ways of the Canaanites. Israel’s history unfolds in a repetitive way, with each cycle taking Israel further away from God. By the end of the book, Israel had violated its covenant with God in almost every way imaginable.
Key Themes
- Israel’s existence in the land, which had been promised by God, was threatened by its continuing rebellion. Israel had not conquered the land completely (ch. 1), because of its unfaithfulness (2:1–3, 20–22). Therefore, the day would come when the nation would be taken captive, away from the land (18:30).
- The oppressions, chaos, and generally negative picture in the book are due to Israel’s repeated sin. Time and again the Israelites broke the covenant, turning to the Canaanite gods and “doing evil” (2:3, 11–13, 17, 19; 3:6, 7, 12; 4:1; 6:1, 10; 8:24–27, 33; 10:6; 13:1; 17:6; 21:25), and they repeatedly suffered the consequences.
- Despite Israel’s repeated falling away, God in his faithfulness continually delivered them. This was not due to Israel’s merits or its repentance. Instead it was because of God’s compassion and pity (2:16, 18) and his faithfulness to his promises to Abraham (Deut. 6:10–11; compare Gen. 12:7; 15:7, 18–21; 26:2–3; 35:12).
- The judges were not able to stop the peoples’ unfaithfulness. If anything, they made it worse. Major judges such as Gideon (8:24–27), Jephthah (11:30–31, 34–40), and Samson (chs. 14–16) were guilty of significant sin. The shining exception was Deborah (chs. 4–5).
- Israel needed a godly king to lead it in doing right in the Lord’s eyes rather than a leader who “did what was right in his own eyes” (compare 17:6; 21:25). God had promised from the beginning that there would be kings (Gen. 17:6, 16; 35:11; 49:10), and had explained what a godly king would look like (Deut. 17:14–20). The book of Judges shows the depths to which the people of Israel descended in the absence of a godly king.
Outline
- The Roots of Israel’s Unfaithfulness (1:1–3:6)
- The Downward Spiral of Israel’s Unfaithfulness (3:7–16:31)
- The Depths of Israel’s Unfaithfulness (17:1–21:25)
The Setting of Judges
Fact: Laish
Laish was about 25 miles (40 km) north of the Sea of Galilee. The Danites would have traveled about a hundred miles (161 km) to reach the city (18:7). After they invaded and destroyed Laish, the city was renamed Dan (18:29). For many years thereafter, this city would be considered the northern border of Israel. The nation was often described as extending “from Dan to Beersheba” (20:1).
Fact: Jebus
Jebus (19:11) was the name of Jerusalem during this time because it was still under the control of the Jebusites. It would stay in the hands of the Jebusites until David conquered it and claimed it for Israel (2 Sam. 5:6–10).
Fact: Slings
Slings (20:16) were weapons made of two long straps, usually either leather or cloth. These were attached to a wider pocket in the middle, where the thrower would place a rock or some other object. The sling was then swung above the head until one of the straps was let go, releasing the rock. Slings were designed to incapacitate the enemy. A fellow soldier with a sword or spear could then deliver the fatal blow.
The Judges
| Judge | Reference | Tribe | Oppressor | Period of Oppression | Period of Rest | Total Length of Time* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Othniel | 3:7–11 | Judah | Mesopotamians | 8 years (3:8) | 40 years (3:11) | 48 years |
| Ehud | 3:12–30 | Benjamin | Moabites | 18 years (3:14) | 80 years (3:30) | 98 years |
| Shamgar | 3:31 | Philistines | ||||
| Deborah | chs. 4–5 | Ephraim | Canaanites | 20 years (4:3) | 40 years (5:31) | 60 years |
| Gideon | chs. 6–8 | Manasseh | Midianites | 7 years (6:1) | 40 years (8:28) | 47 years |
| Tola | 10:1–2 | Issachar | 23 years (10:2) | 23 years | ||
| Jair | 10:3–5 | Gilead-Manasseh | 22 years (10:3) | 22 years | ||
| Jephthah | 10:6–12:7 | Gilead-Manasseh | Ammonites | 24 years (10:8; 12:7) | 24 years | |
| Ibzan | 12:8–10 | Judah or Zebulun? | 7 years (12:9) | 7 years | ||
| Elon | 12:11–12 | Zebulun | 10 years (12:11) | 10 years | ||
| Abdon | 12:13–15 | Ephraim | 8 years (12:14) | 8 years | ||
| Samson | chs. 13–16 | Dan | Philistines | 40 years (13:1) | 20 years (15:20; 16:31) | 60 years |
*Added together, the dates in this column total about 410 years. However, many of the episodes in Judges overlap each other, unfolding in different parts of the land.
Judg 19:1 no king in Israel. Compare 17:6; 18:1; 21:25. concubine. See note on Gen. 25:5–6.
Judg 19:3–9 An elaborate ritual of hospitality takes place, in sharp contrast to what follows.
Fact: Jebus
Jebus (19:11) was the name of Jerusalem during this time because it was still under the control of the Jebusites. It would stay in the hands of the Jebusites until David conquered it and claimed it for Israel (2 Sam. 5:6–10).
Judg 19:10–12 Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). Jerusalem was then in the hands of the Jebusites and therefore is referred to as a city of foreigners (see note on 1:8). Gibeah was about 4 miles (6 km) north of Jerusalem. The Levite considered Gibeah a safer place to spend the night than Jerusalem, because Gibeah was a Benjaminite city (19:14, 16).
Judg 19:16–21 old man . . . sojourning in Gibeah. The Levite had thought it would be safer to stay in Gibeah than in Jerusalem (see note on vv. 10–12). Yet in Gibeah he found hospitality from an outsider rather than from the residents of the city—a striking commentary on the deplorable state of affairs in Israel. hill country of Ephraim. See v. 1.
Judg 19:22 that we may know him. The word “know” was the normal Hebrew euphemism for sexual relations (compare Gen. 4:1). The same expression appears in Gen. 19:5, where the men of Sodom wanted to have homosexual relations with Lot’s guests.
Judg 19:22–26 The “hospitality” offered by Gibeah was like that of Sodom (compare Genesis 19). It is likely the author patterned this text after the Genesis account, as if to say, “Things are as bad now as in the days of Sodom!”
Judg 19:1–30 In one of the most sordid stories in the Bible, rape, murder, and cruelty lead to the death of an innocent woman and, eventually, to civil war.
Judg 19:27–30 The Levite’s reaction to his concubine’s death illustrates his heartlessness. His gruesome response was intended to rally the 12 tribes against Gibeah. has never happened or been seen. It is unclear what was being referred to here—the outrageous actions of the men of Gibeah or the cutting up of the concubine—but it is more likely the former (see 20:10).
Fact: Laish
Laish was about 25 miles (40 km) north of the Sea of Galilee. The Danites would have traveled about a hundred miles (161 km) to reach the city (18:7). After they invaded and destroyed Laish, the city was renamed Dan (18:29). For many years thereafter, this city would be considered the northern border of Israel. The nation was often described as extending “from Dan to Beersheba” (20:1).
Judg 20:1–2 From Dan to Beersheba was a phrase commonly used to describe the entire land of Israel, from north to south (compare 1 Sam. 3:20; 2 Sam. 24:2; 1 Kings 4:25). assembly. The Hebrew word indicates a specially called gathering, usually for a religious (Num. 16:3; 1 Chron. 28:8) or military purpose (Num. 22:4, “horde”; 1 Sam. 17:47).
Judg 20:12–14 purge evil from Israel (compare Deut. 13:5; 17:7; etc.). This evil deed pollutes the whole people. Benjamin’s decision to protect the evildoers sets the stage for further horrors.
Judg 20:15–16 26,000 men. The Benjaminite force, large as it was, equaled only a small fraction of the Israelite coalition (400,000 men; v. 17). left-handed. The left-handedness of the 700 expert slingers was an advantage, since their shots would come from an unexpected angle.
Fact: Slings
Slings (20:16) were weapons made of two long straps, usually either leather or cloth. These were attached to a wider pocket in the middle, where the thrower would place a rock or some other object. The sling was then swung above the head until one of the straps was let go, releasing the rock. Slings were designed to incapacitate the enemy. A fellow soldier with a sword or spear could then deliver the fatal blow.
Judg 20:18 Judah . . . first. As before (1:1–2), Judah took the lead.
Judg 20:25–26 The fasting and sacrificing of the Israelites is very rare in this period. See note on 2:5.
Judg 20:28 Phinehas. See Num. 25:6–11.
Judg 20:47 Despite the defeat, 600 men of Benjamin survived to become the core of the renewed tribe (21:13–15).
Judg 20:1–48 Gibeah was a Benjaminite city, and so an assembly of all Israel came together at Mizpah to take action against Benjamin (vv. 1–11). The Benjaminites, who apparently were not at the assembly (v. 3), refused to deliver the inhabitants of Gibeah to them, Instead, they prepared for battle (vv. 12–17). It was a grim measure of Israel’s rebellion that such destruction was directed against fellow Israelites.
Judg 21:1–9 The other tribes had sworn at Mizpah that no one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin (see 20:1). Now, regretting that their oath could result in the loss of an entire tribe, they recalled that they had taken a second oath (great oath; 21:5) that any city that didn’t join in the fight against Benjamin should surely be put to death (v. 5). That oath now provided the justification for raiding Jabesh-gilead to provide wives for the Benjaminites.
Judg 21:10–11 devote to destruction. This phrase is found throughout Joshua describing the Israelites’ destruction of the Canaanites (e.g., Josh. 6:17–18; 10:28; see note on Josh. 6:17–18). Here, the total destruction was directed against an Israelite city, Jabesh-gilead, to punish it for not joining the battle against Benjamin. In doing this the Israelites acted on their own, without seeking the Lord’s will. Two hundred more wives were kidnapped at Shiloh, justified on questionable grounds (Judg. 21:16–24).
Judg 17:1–21:25 The Depths of Israel’s Unfaithfulness. Whereas chs. 2–16 describe external threats to Israel, chs. 17–21 describe internal threats. The most sordid and tragic stories in the book are found here.
Judg 21:25 The final editorial comment echoes earlier ones (17:6; 18:1; 19:1). Israel’s wickedness had reached a low point.
The Judges
| Judge | Reference | Tribe | Oppressor | Period of Oppression | Period of Rest | Total Length of Time* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Othniel | 3:7–11 | Judah | Mesopotamians | 8 years (3:8) | 40 years (3:11) | 48 years |
| Ehud | 3:12–30 | Benjamin | Moabites | 18 years (3:14) | 80 years (3:30) | 98 years |
| Shamgar | 3:31 | Philistines | ||||
| Deborah | chs. 4–5 | Ephraim | Canaanites | 20 years (4:3) | 40 years (5:31) | 60 years |
| Gideon | chs. 6–8 | Manasseh | Midianites | 7 years (6:1) | 40 years (8:28) | 47 years |
| Tola | 10:1–2 | Issachar | 23 years (10:2) | 23 years | ||
| Jair | 10:3–5 | Gilead-Manasseh | 22 years (10:3) | 22 years | ||
| Jephthah | 10:6–12:7 | Gilead-Manasseh | Ammonites | 24 years (10:8; 12:7) | 24 years | |
| Ibzan | 12:8–10 | Judah or Zebulun? | 7 years (12:9) | 7 years | ||
| Elon | 12:11–12 | Zebulun | 10 years (12:11) | 10 years | ||
| Abdon | 12:13–15 | Ephraim | 8 years (12:14) | 8 years | ||
| Samson | chs. 13–16 | Dan | Philistines | 40 years (13:1) | 20 years (15:20; 16:31) | 60 years |
*Added together, the dates in this column total about 410 years. However, many of the episodes in Judges overlap each other, unfolding in different parts of the land.
Introduction to Judges
Timeline
Author and Date
Nowhere in Scripture is an author of this book named. The events in Judges took place in the period between Joshua’s death and the rise of Samuel and Saul. Most of the book was likely written by David’s time (1010–970 B.C.).
Theme
The theme of Judges is the downward spiral of Israel’s national and spiritual life into chaos and rebellion against God, showing the need for a godly king (17:6; 21:25).
Purpose and Pattern
The book of Judges was written to show the consequences of religious unfaithfulness and to point the way to a king who, if righteous, would lead the people to God. In the book of Joshua, the people of Israel seemed to want to follow the Lord and obey his commands. The book of Judges reveals, however, that the people had been rebelling even in Joshua’s time. This disobedience continued and grew more serious throughout the period of the judges. As summarized in Judges 2:16–23, time and again Israel turned its back on God and embraced the gods and ways of the Canaanites. Israel’s history unfolds in a repetitive way, with each cycle taking Israel further away from God. By the end of the book, Israel had violated its covenant with God in almost every way imaginable.
Key Themes
- Israel’s existence in the land, which had been promised by God, was threatened by its continuing rebellion. Israel had not conquered the land completely (ch. 1), because of its unfaithfulness (2:1–3, 20–22). Therefore, the day would come when the nation would be taken captive, away from the land (18:30).
- The oppressions, chaos, and generally negative picture in the book are due to Israel’s repeated sin. Time and again the Israelites broke the covenant, turning to the Canaanite gods and “doing evil” (2:3, 11–13, 17, 19; 3:6, 7, 12; 4:1; 6:1, 10; 8:24–27, 33; 10:6; 13:1; 17:6; 21:25), and they repeatedly suffered the consequences.
- Despite Israel’s repeated falling away, God in his faithfulness continually delivered them. This was not due to Israel’s merits or its repentance. Instead it was because of God’s compassion and pity (2:16, 18) and his faithfulness to his promises to Abraham (Deut. 6:10–11; compare Gen. 12:7; 15:7, 18–21; 26:2–3; 35:12).
- The judges were not able to stop the peoples’ unfaithfulness. If anything, they made it worse. Major judges such as Gideon (8:24–27), Jephthah (11:30–31, 34–40), and Samson (chs. 14–16) were guilty of significant sin. The shining exception was Deborah (chs. 4–5).
- Israel needed a godly king to lead it in doing right in the Lord’s eyes rather than a leader who “did what was right in his own eyes” (compare 17:6; 21:25). God had promised from the beginning that there would be kings (Gen. 17:6, 16; 35:11; 49:10), and had explained what a godly king would look like (Deut. 17:14–20). The book of Judges shows the depths to which the people of Israel descended in the absence of a godly king.
Outline
- The Roots of Israel’s Unfaithfulness (1:1–3:6)
- The Downward Spiral of Israel’s Unfaithfulness (3:7–16:31)
- The Depths of Israel’s Unfaithfulness (17:1–21:25)
The Setting of Judges
How do we read Gibeah's crime?
Listen NowDive Deeper | Judges 19-21
The extreme depravity we read today reminds me of a pastor who once counseled a man who had committed adultery. He asked the man, "How did you get there? Where did this all start?" The man responded, "At Jason's Deli I got a free water cup, but I filled it with Dr Pepper." Similarly, Israel made a covenant commitment with God; and, throughout Judges, we read how they continually committed spiritual adultery with idols, which led to heinous and unfathomable stories that even Hollywood wouldn't imagine.
Israel's covenant unfaithfulness did not start out this perverse. It started with a seemingly innocuous sip of "stolen Dr Pepper" back in the book of Joshua. As the tribes settled into the Promised Land after conquering most of it by God's power, they didn't follow through on His command to fully conquer and drive out the inhabitants (Joshua 13:13; Judges 1:21). Thus, the remaining Canaanites dwelt among them, and the Canaanites' immoral lifestyle, rife with idolatry, infiltrated Israel like a cancer. The Israelites who were supposed to be God's ambassadors to the nations instead became just like them.
What does all of this have to do with us today? Because this passage can read like a surreal movie script, it's tempting to think this could never happen to us. But these atrocities committed by God's chosen people actually happened, and Paul told us that the events of Israel's history serve as warnings to us. So, if we think we are standing firm because we aren't this depraved, let's be careful that we don't fall! (1 Corinthians 10:6-12)
Judges 19-21 is a horrible warning to not trifle with "little sins," because that "little Dr Pepper" is insidious. As J.C. Ryle mused, "A small leak will sink a great ship, and a small spark will kindle a great fire, and a little allowed sin in like manner will ruin an immortal soul. Take my advice, and never spare a little sin. Israel was commanded to slay every Canaanite, both great and small. Act on the same principle, and show no mercy to little sins." Be vigilant, friends! (1 Corinthians 16:13)
This month's memory verse
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
– 1 Samuel 16:7
Discussion Questions
1. In those days, there was no king. But these days, who is the king of your life? It's easy to say, "Jesus," but is every aspect of your life informed by the wisdom of His Word, or are there areas where you default to doing what seems right in your own eyes? (Matthew 15:8)
2. Do you regularly examine your faithfulness in following Jesus in prayer and with fellow believers who (a) know you well, (b) can speak into your life, and (c) will help you recognize if you're slowly drifting from Him? (Psalm 139:23-24; Proverbs 18:1)
3. What are the "little foxes" in your vineyard—those seemingly small sins that need to be confessed and abandoned so your life can flourish and not fall into ruin? (Song of Solomon 2:15; Proverbs 28:13)